New Fridge

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Xsbank

Guru
Joined
Sep 7, 2013
Messages
3,791
Location
Canada
Vessel Name
Gwaii Haanas
Vessel Make
Custom Aluminum 52
12 volt only or dual voltage? I have 2 inverters.
 
Dual Voltage. There is no point in absorbing the AC to DC conversion loss using an inverter. The fridge is typically the highest consumer of Ah over a 24 hr period. I wouldn't want to make an already expensive component less efficient than it needs to be.
 
And many of the newer dual-voltage fridges are actually running on a DC compressor.. so when AC is present, the fridge's "power supply" converts it back to DC anyway.


Several recent threads touched on that. Search NovaKool (for one, but there are others, too.)


-Chris
 
Hi Ken
12 volt NovaCool it runs 24/7/365 built in Vancouver, replace our old NorCold and have never looked back. It keeps the charger working:thumb:
 
Hi Ken
12 volt NovaCool it runs 24/7/365 built in Vancouver, replace our old NorCold and have never looked back. It keeps the charger working:thumb:

We are looking to do the same Mike. Seem like the hot ticket and fairly affordable too.
 
Hummmmm Just replaced a 12 Volt fridge with a 110 AC adding a 1500 Watt inverter. While the NovaCool of 14 years worked as a satisfactory "Cooler" the freezer unit really didn't prove effective.
All of the above points while seemingly actuate leaves me concerned that the switch was wise. At the dock the unit performs well including the freezer. When at sea on the inverter there is no apparent issues. Then when on the hook as with the 12 volt fridge, limited use of the fridge was and is used being aware that with limited opening and closing, the retained coolness will suffice (Except the freezer in both cases). We use the 2000 Honda during the evening now and at the same rate when on the 12 volt fridge. I guess my confusion in having used both systems is the results are the same. I suppose if the use of a gen set is factored in there would be a great difference with amp draw using the inverter.
In all honesty, the reason for the swap dealt with a change in the structure of the boat requiring a smaller dimentional unit. In doing the research finding that a standard small office or dorm size 110 volt unit priced at $114.00 and a $200.00 inverter against the market price of some $600-700 dollar marine/RV unit plus freight had a huge amount of effect in the decision. Time will tell on how this works out for us.
Regards,
Al-Ketchikan (Bridge to Nowhere) Alaska
PS: When the evening ends or the end of need from the fridge, we always have and continue to turn off the fridge. just wanted to add that factoid.
 
Last edited:
Hummmmm Just replaced a 12 Volt fridge with a 110 AC adding a 1500 Watt inverter. While the NovaCool of 14 years worked as a satisfactory "Cooler" the freezer unit really didn't prove effective.

Our NovaKool has the bottom freezer, we run it on the second lowest setting and it is rock solid cold......ice is important :thumb:
 
Our PNW boat has a 12vdc/120vac refrigerator freezer. It has been running 24/7/365 for the last 17 years. We like the flexibility of running it on groundpower in our slip and on the house bank when we're out.
 
Fine Home building had a comment that DC motors are 70% more efficient than AC motors.

Most refrigeration systems for boats and RV do use DC .

So the question then becomes should you use your DC batt charger when dockside or on noisemaker,or use a dual voltage unit ?

I would prefer the dual voltage setup, as the chance that the voltage drop every time it starts up would over charge the batts does exist
 
Hummmmm Just replaced a 12 Volt fridge with a 110 AC adding a 1500 Watt inverter. While the NovaCool of 14 years worked as a satisfactory "Cooler" the freezer unit really didn't prove effective.

PS: When the evening ends or the end of need from the fridge, we always have and continue to turn off the fridge. just wanted to add that factoid.

Our NovaKool has the bottom freezer, we run it on the second lowest setting and it is rock solid cold......ice is important :thumb:


Hmmm.... we've never had problems with the freezer section in either of our NovaKool fridges. One is side-by-side with it's own compartment, the other is just a small insert at the top of the fridge compartment.

Yep, ice is critical!

:)

-Chris
 
We have a separate Nova Kool refrigerator and freezer with dual voltages, and there's never been an issue with coldness in either one of them (both set slightly colder than mid-range).
 
Well not to be argumentative when we travel in Southeast Alaska there is not too many times that we "Share" an anchorage. If somebody is there when we enter, unless it is a huge bay, we move to the next.
At the rare anchored powerless floats unless it is middle of the visiting boaters from the lower 48 season tied to, running the gen is not a factor because it is just us.
Interesting to note that when say, tying to the dock in Meyers Chuck during the visiting summer fleet or commercial boats is in attendance gen sets are a running so ours is a slight addition to the evening putt-putting. When at a civilized dock where electrical power is available, we willingly hook up.
Making ice or having air conditioning is not a prerequisite. Cold wine-Another story.
Time will tell I guess
Regards,
Al
 
And many of the newer dual-voltage fridges are actually running on a DC compressor.. so when AC is present, the fridge's "power supply" converts it back to DC anyway.

Several recent threads touched on that. Search NovaKool (for one, but there are others, too.)

-Chris

As I said before, the best decision I made was getting rid of the 120v f/f and replacing them with 12v Vitrifrogos.

The second best decision I made was spending the extra $100 to get the multi volt version. That saved me when I had to leave the boat for a few weeks. No worry at all, since it's plugged into 220v.

The compressor is the Danforth BF35D, which is 12v. Together they use a total of 120 amps per day.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom